Outside of the Dream
by Starlight-x
Summary: He entered her life like a whisper of wind. She entered his like a flash of lightening. Together they found a reason to live.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Never have, never will.

Outside of the Dream  
By: Starlight - x1  
Chapter 1: Storm Clouds

The town of Tailon was awash in rumor. It flitted from one mouth to another, helped along by wide eyes and whispers of scandalized delight. It buzzed along the streets and livened up dull café conversations.

"Have you heard? He's here. That wanted man, Methuselah, is in our very own town. Yes, here in Tailon." The speaker would then sit back with a shiver of mixed delight and dread.

Nothing like this had ever happened in Tailon before. It was exciting.

Machika first heard the rumor on her way back from her grandfather's grave where she had encountered her own unusual circumstances. Someone had placed flowers by her grandfather's tombstone. In fact, the entire graveyard had been strewn with flowers, perfect red blossoms.

A young couple was passing, engaged in animated conversation. Machika caught one word. "Methuselah." Whirling she raced after the couple. "Hey wait a minute…" Reaching out she grabbed the man's sleeve to slow him down.

He turned, frowning darkly at her. "What do you want?" He shook her hand loose and brushed at his sleeve impatiently.

"Please excuse me." Machika panted slightly after her short run. "But I heard you mention Methuselah…"

At the name Methuselah the young man's countenance changed. "Haven't you heard?" He began in a somewhat patronizing tone. "The immortal wanted man is here in our town." He drew himself up with a proud look and placed a fist on his chest confidently. "I'm gonna catch him and collect the reward."

His girlfriend clasped her hands together and let out a long sigh. "Isn't it so exciting? " She cooed at Machika.

"Yeah, thrilling." Machika let them drift ahead. "Amateurs." She let out a snort. "Sorry, but I'm gonna catch Methuselah."

00000

Schroeder leaned back in his chair, booted feet propped on the table before him, thoughtfully picking his teeth. He had certainly landed a whopper of a bounty this time. The infamous Methuselah, with the reward being offered by none other then the Mayor of Tailon himself. For such a small guy the Mayor was certainly ambitious.

Schroeder flicked the toothpick away and lit a cigarette. Whatever the Mayor wanted with Methuselah he was offering a tidy sum of money to get him. Schroeder closed his eyes imaging what he would do with all that money once he got it. Yeah, this was what he'd wanted all these years. The good, lucrative jobs that had always gone to Zol He'd done good getting rid of that old man.

First things first, he had to confirm that Methuselah really was in Tailon. Schroeder frowned, exhaling a stream of smoke. Where to begin? How did one start looking for an immortal man with more descriptions then the blind men gave the elephant?

"Hey Schroeder!"

Schroeder let the front legs of his chair hit the ground with a thump as he stared at Ronnie, one of the guys he'd sent out to sift through the rumors flying about town.

"Yeah, did you find him?" Schroeder leaned forward, excitement straining every nerve in his body.

"Machika's snooping about town."

For a moment Schroeder stared blankly up at him. "So, why should I care what that little brat is doing? I sent you out to find Methuselah."

"Wait, that's not all. She's carrying Zol's scythe." Ronnie crossed his arms triumphantly.

Schroeder continued to stare blankly at him. Ronnie gave a sigh. "Who's the one bounty Zol never managed to capture?"

"Methuselah." Schroeder could feel the old familiar resentment rising in him at the mention of Zol's name.

"Yeah." Ronnie said. "And we know that Machika idolized that old man. Hell, she wanted to be just like him. So.." He looked expectantly at Schroeder.

Schroeder still wasn't getting any connection between Machika's actions and their current goal to capture Methuselah but Ronnie was staring at him expectantly so he attempted to put it all together. "She's gonna try and follow us?" He finally guessed.

"No." Ronnie shook his head. "Zol's the only guy who ever got close to capturing Methuselah. He probably told Machika all about it. Now she's got the description that her grandfather gave her and she's probably going out to find Methuselah herself. Kinda like a last gift to Grandad thing."

"Ohhhh," Schroeder's eyes lit up. "So all we've gotta do is follow her and she'll lead us right to where Methuselah is."

"Exactly." Ronnie nodded smugly.

"All right." Schroeder shot to his feet. "Get the group together, we're gonna hunt us an immortal."

00000

The wailing of a violin filled the air. The instrument, wielded by a tall, serious looking priest, let out another musical protest as the bow was drawn across the strings. The normally crowed street had emptied quickly, people hurrying past, eager to distance themselves from the somber man and his painful lack of talent. A few rude comments were thrown his way by some irritated pedestrians. The man ignored the comments and kept slowly sawing back and forth over the tortured violin's strings. His closed eyes and blissful expression told that he didn't hear the wailing of an out of tune instrument played by a novice musician. Instead he heard the soft sweet strains of a song echoed back through the years to him.

"I don't think I've ever heard a priest play that badly before."

Addressed so directly the man looked down at the pretty woman who knelt in front of him. Her dropped coin sat, a solitary visitor, in his opened violin case.

For the first time the man seemed somewhat nonplussed. Then he looked up at the overcast sky. "Look, it's starting to rain." Carefully he replaced the violin in its case, his fingers gently stroking the worn wood before snapping the case shut.

The woman rose quickly, giving her knees dainty swipes to remove any dirt. "Are you alone?" She asked coyly. "You'll get soaked just standing out here, Father. Why don't you come back to my place?" She grabbed his left arm with an almost proprietary air and tugged slightly.

From her perch up above Machika watched as Methuselah gently disengaged his arm from the woman's grasp. She adjusted her goggles. "Grandfather." Hefting a hand-axe she let it fly and watched satisfied as it hit its target, the wall between Methuselah and the woman.

Machika leapt down, landing lightly on the ground just as the woman let out a terrified scream and ran away. It had begun to rain now in earnest "A man dressed as a priest, who plays the violin so badly the sky cries. You're just like Grandfather said." Machika took a step forward, her grandfather's scythe balanced on one shoulder. "I've found you Methuselah."

The small crowd that had gathered immediately started edging away with shocked gasps and mutters.

Methuselah stared down at Machika, his face blank. "And you are…?"

Machika let a satisfied grin ease itself onto her face. "Haven't you ever heard of the great assassin, Zol the grim reaper?" she asked smugly. Her satisfaction with herself grew as she continued. "Your luck's run out. There's no prey I can't kill. Prepare to die."

"I'm sorry." Methuselah shook his head, obviously unimpressed. "But the Zol I knew wasn't so short."

Short! Machika could feel her ears start to burn with the red of embarrassment and rage. He had dared to call her short. "Short!" She let out a growl. "How dare you! You're mine." She ran towards him and swung her scythe in what should've been a lethal blow. Her scythe seemed to glance off his chest, his clothing the only thing sustaining damage.

Machika stared in disbelief at the metal cross embedded in Methuselah's chest. She looked up at him. "What is that…"

The sound of an engine interrupted what she was going to say.

"Hey boys, we lucked out. There's our bounty standing right there!"

Machika whirled in time to see a rocket shooting straight towards them. The next instant Methuselah had lifted her by the back of her dress and flung her to the side as if she weighed nothing. She crashed into a pile of boxes. "Ow. He didn't have to throw me that hard." She glared at Methuselah who hadn't moved from where he was standing. "Huh?" She gave a gasp. "METHUSELAH!" She saw his head turn to look at her and then the rocket hit him. Machika automatically raised her arms to protect her face from the dust and debris stirred up by the explosion.

00000

Schroeder crouched next to the body of the priest. "Is he dead?" Idly he poked a forefinger at the man's arm.

"Nah, he's alive. See, he's breathing." Ronnie observed

"Damn." Schroeder sat back for a moment and shook his head. "It really is him." Slowly a grin spread over his face. "We really caught Methuselah." He stood up. "Come on, let's load him up and take him to the mayor."

"SCHROEDER!"

Schroeder turned to face an indignant Machika. "Hey, thanks for your help." He grinned mischievously. "I wouldn't have been able to catch him without you."

"No fair Schroeder. He was my target first and you know it. You can't just jump in and take him away from me." Machika stomped one foot on the ground.

Schroeder lifted an eyebrow. "_I _took him away from _you_? You must be mistaken. But I suppose you do deserve something for helping. Here." He bent down and picked up Methuselah's abandoned hat and dropped it on her head. It fell forward, covering her eyes.

"Hey," Machika spluttered, pushing the hat brim up, but she was interrupted by a shout from one of Schroeder's guys.

"Come on Schroeder, leave the brat. Let's go."

"Wait a minute." Machika was starting to look desperate. "You can't just leave. He's my bounty…"

"Go home. You're not cut out to be a bounty hunter." Schroeder pulled out a cigarette and casually lit it as he turned away from her. "Well, I gotta go. I've got a bounty to collect. See ya."

"JERK!"

Schroeder laughed as he heard Machika's parting reply. Then Ronnie gunned the accelerator and they drove off, leaving the girl behind in a cloud of dust. Twisting about in his seat, Schroeder looked down at Methuselah. "So you're an immortal. You sure don't look so different from an ordinary human, except for that cross on your chest. Still, you just made me my fortune." He touched his left hand to his forehead, tipping an invisible hat to the unconscious man. "And for that, I'm eternally grateful."

00000

Machika stared after the departing jeep. Reaching up she ripped the hat from her head and threw it to the ground. Lifting one foot she prepared to vent her irritation on the unfortunate headgear but paused, remembering something her grandfather had once told her.

_"Listen Machika, a bounty hunter can't afford to get angry. Losing control of your emotions will only cause you to make decisions you'll regret later on. Staying calm and in control will help you look at a situation rationally and make the best decision you possibly can."_

"You're right Grandfather." Machika picked up the hat and brushed it off. "Let's see, if Schroeder's taking him to the mayor then that means I've still got time. I can still get Methuselah back. Just watch Grandfather, I'll get him for you." She picked up her scythe and Methuselah's abandoned violin. "I won't give up. Not now, not ever."

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A/N: Um, hi ya'll. Well, here is my first attempt at a chapter fanfiction for Immortal Rain. As you've probably already seen I'm following the manga's story and timeline. I will try to keep the most important scenes in but I'll probably add some more of my own. Oh, yeah, the chapters are probably gonna be short. I don't have that much time to write and so I've been neglecting my fanfiction terribly. Hopefully short chapters will help me get the story out on a regular basis. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. If you do enjoy it and you've got the time, leave me a review. It's always nice to hear opinions from my readers. Well, see you in the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Outside of the Dream  
By: Starlight – x1  
Chapter 2: Distant Thunder

Machika bent over Methuselah's manacle clad wrist, attempting to pick the lock with a slender piece of wire. As she worked she cast furtive glances at the unconscious man's face. But he didn't move, lying as still and quiet as he had since she'd dragged him here. "Not surprising when you have a sign land on your head. Idiot." Machika shook her head and gave the wire another impatient twist. Remembering exactly why a sign had landed on his head caused her stomach to twist up into unpleasant knots as she relived the terror freefalling multiple stories to the ground had caused.

"Damnit." Machika clenched her hands into fists to stop their shaking. She rarely ever cursed. Her grandfather had frowned on the practice, sternly warning her against speaking such words in his presence. But the word seemed to express all the fear and unexplainable emotion that roiled within her.

Her trembling finally eased and Machika drew in a long breath of air, expelling it in a steady sigh as she reached for the wire and began to work again on the manacles.

"_I guess I should tell you my real name also. It's Rain Jewlett."_

Rain. Machika's hands stopped moving as she stared at her sleeping prisoner. She whispered his name softly, trying it out again. "Rain." Before he had commenced his suicide dive with her as an unwilling partner he had thanked her for calling his name. "Six hundred years since someone last called him Rain." Machika couldn't quite wrap her mind around the unconscious admission of how old he really was.

Machika sighed. It seemed so long ago, years in fact, since this morning when she'd ventured out intent on slaying a monster in honor of her grandfather. But was he really a monster? The question popped unannounced into her head. Machika scowled, twisting the wire viciously. "He's my prey." She growled. The manacle popped open and she sat back pleased with herself, deliberately pushing all the questions and emotions to the back of her mind, refusing to think about them any longer.

"Now, what should I do with you?" Machika propped her hands on her hips and considered him. She could take his head but somehow it seemed impolite to kill him while he was sleeping. Besides, she doubted her grandfather would've ever stooped to something like that. Still, she didn't want to sit in here waiting for him to wake up, but if she didn't he would likely sneak away without her knowing and she'd have to go to the trouble of finding him again. She settled for tying one end of a long cord around his ankle and fastening the other end to her wrist. Finished she slipped out of the room and sat down outside drawing her knees to her chest. Closing her eyes she enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her skin.

She was awakened from a light doze by a tugging of the cord wrapped around her wrist. With a sigh she stood and stretched, yawning widely as she did so before looking into the room.

Rain was definitely awake. She watched as he gathered his things and prepared to depart via the window. Machika crossed her arms. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" She watched as he slowly turned his head to look at her. Carefully he lifted one hand in what was meant to be a casual wave.

"Hello and goodbye." He attempted to escape through the window but was thwarted as Machika gave a strong yank on the cord tied around his ankle. Then, without giving him time to react she hustled him into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him, shoving a chair under the doorknob. "You stay in there. I'm going to sleep now. Something I haven't been able to do because you've been hogging the bed."

"Um," His voice sounded hesitant. "You won't be able to use the bathroom if I'm in here."

"Shut up." Machika could feel her ears start to burn. "I already told you. I'm going to sleep. Don't try to escape. I'll deal with you after I wake up."

"You can't kill me."

"Why does everybody think I can't be an assassin like my grandfather." Machika bristled. "I'm not a child."

"How old are you?" The question was slightly curious.

Machika smiled. "I'm fourteen." She announced proudly.

"You're the merest child born yesterday." There was no leniency in his voice.

"What?" Mchika could feel her temper rising to the bursting point. She couldn't ever recall having been so angry, so many times in one day. Rain seemed to know just how to irritate her. "Well, exactly how old are you?" She countered. _Six hundred years,_ drifted through her mind.

"I'm six hundred twenty four years old." He said it in such a flat, uninterested tone that Machika blinked.

"No way." She finally managed to speak through her shock. "Nobody lives that long. You can't be human." She sucked in a deep breath and then fell back to sarcasm. "Must be a pain to count up your years. And your birthday cake, that's gotta look like an inferno what with all the candles. How many grandkids and great-grandkids come and help you celebrate?"

"I don't need to count my years. I don't really care since I'll be living forever."

The entirely careless way he spoke pierced Machika through the heart and she drew in a quick breath of air. Pain bubbled up inside her.

_Stay with me Grandfather. Stay with me forever._

_Nobody lives forever Machika._

"I hate you. Why do you have to live while he died? He should be alive, not you." Machika heard the words as though another person spoke them. She was more aware of the tears streaming down her face. She buried her face into her pillow and sobbed.

00000

Rain sat listening to the heartbroken sobs of the girl in the other room. He hadn't really heard the words she'd screamed at him. Instead he'd heard the cry of a child lost in a crowd of strangers, searching for a familiar face or hand to hold. Something stirred deep within him but he pushed it down, ignoring it. Instead he brought his memories of Zol to the forefront of his mind. With those memories firmly in place he began to speak.

"Machika, your grandfather was like a sword cutting through the wind." Rain closed his eyes. Bright blue eyes filled with the zest of life and determination. Zol had been more alive then most people he'd ever met. Zol had looked him squarely in the face and had eventually turned and left him.

You bear a burden I would never wish to carry. Whatever sin haunts you, may you soon find rest.

Rain shook his head at the words Zol had spoken as he'd left. The man had been very perceptive.

"Human lives pass me by, dying at a speed I can't keep up with." Rain heard the tinge of bitterness in his own voice. He stopped speaking.

There was a moment of silence.

"Rain? Are you lonely being constantly left behind? What's it like to be so lonely?" Machika paused but then he heard her add, almost to herself. "It must be an awful existence."

Rain let his head drop, resting his chin on his chest as he concentrated on not allowing the abundance of his memories overwhelm him.

The almost timid rap on the door brought a welcome interruption and he looked up as Machika opened the door and stood looking at him almost expectantly. He said the first thing that came into his mind to distract her from her question. "Do you need to pee?"

As expected her face flushed bright red. "No!" Then she looked down and bit her lower lip. "You can sleep on the bed." She offered. "I'll sleep in here."

"Why?" Rain searched her face.

She bit her lower lip again. "No reason." She finally mumbled.

Rain rose in one fluid motion and scooped her up before she could do anything. "Let's sleep together then." He announced cheerfully. He ignored her struggles and loud protestations as he deposited her on the bed and lay down next to her, closing his eyes and regulating his breathing. After a moment Machika realized he really only meant to sleep and stopped thumping him with her pillow. He felt her gently poke his cheek with one finger.

"He's asleep. I don't believe it."

He felt her flop down next to him. "Freak." She muttered as her body relaxed and she fell asleep. Rain allowed a small smile to curve his lips before he too fell asleep.

00000

How had she managed to get stuck in this situation? Machika cast a disgusted look behind her to where Rain sat, his coat trapped by the giant gears of the clock. Schroeder stood smirking by the controls.

"Listen Machika, that guy there is ours." Schroeder jerked a thumb to where Rain was tugging ineffectually at his coat. "Hand him over and I'll stop the clock."

"No way." Machika shook her head.

"Stop being so stubborn." Schroeder snapped. Then he took a deep breath. "Listen Machika, I got rid of Zol so I could pull in the bounties. Stop getting in the way."

"What?" Machika could barely breath. Schroeder's words had knocked the wind right out of her.

Schroeder took in her shocked expression and a grin slowly spread over his face. "That's right Machika. We killed Zol. Now get outta the way."

"You…" Machika could feel pain welling up from deep within. It hadn't been an accident. Her grandfather's death had been planned and executed by these monsters. She let out a scream of rage and rushed Schroeder. He was barely able to get his gun up in time to stop her scythe.

Schroeder grinned at her. "Yeah, I beat him." He grabbed her scythe firmly in one hand. "Listen, Methuselah's trail of crosses ends here. His is the last one. So step aside. If you don't I can add you to the mix for free."

Machika had stopped listening to what Schroeder said. She sensed movement behind her as one of Schroeder's men rushed her. _Grandfather…_ She ducked under the blow meant to kill her and slammed her foot into the man's back, knocking him forward onto Schroeder. Silently she rose and reclaimed her scythe, standing over the two men like an avenging angel.

"Wait a minute Machika." Schroeder lifted one hand pleadingly. "Let's talk this over."

_Grandfather…_ Machika raised her weapon.

"Machika,' Rain's soft voice halted her. "Zol only went after the bounty money." His words released her pain and it poured out of her in resounding sobs. Turning she flung herself into the arms of her first bounty and wept. She felt a hand rest gently on her back, rubbing her shoulder blade in gently soothing motions.

As her sobs dwindled Machika drew in a shaky breath and froze at the familiar scent clinging to Rain's coat. "Flowers." She lifted her head and looked up at the immortal man. "Rain, are you the one who put flowers on Grandfather's grave?"

00000

Rain stared down at the girl who peered up so intently at him. Once again he felt that forbidden stirring deep inside as something that had been dead for so long fluttered feebly, raising tiny sparks of pain as it did so. _No._ Trying to distract both of them Rain loosened his grip on the gear and let out howl of pain that seemed to both startle and distract Machika.

"Time for you to DIE."

Rain looked up and saw Schroeder aiming his gun at him.

"Nooo!" Machika moved quickly inserting herself between both men as Rain watched in shock. He couldn't let her die. He freed himself reaching out the pull Machika out of the way when the entire clock tower shook. Schroeder fell backwards shooting harmlessly up while letting out a howl of surprise. Rain's only thought as the area began to collapse was for Machika. He saw a piece of falling ceiling slam into her, knocking her unconscious. He scrambled over to her and caught her as she collapsed, cradling her gently in his arms until he reached safety.

As he stood in the dust, staring down at her pale face the thing inside him stirred again and this time it wouldn't stop. It kept stirring all through the fight with the Mayor. _Stop, I don't want you to wake. What is this feeling deep inside me? This pain? What name do I give to this emotion? _

Long dark hair and slender white legs running. _Don't go too fast.._ Brown eyes and a mischievous smile. _Be careful, don't run too fast…_

Rain let out a cry, a name wrenched from deep within him; shaken loose from the vaults of a memory long forgotten. "FREYA." With a heave he upended the tank, scattering the mayor and his cronies.

Afterwards he picked up Machika and walked away.

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A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews I really appreciate them. I'm going to be focusing on how Rain and Machika's relationship develops through the manga, so I probably won't be writing as much about the supporting characters as I would like. If I did this would probably turn out to be an extremely long story. Anyway, what do you think about the story so far? Good? Not so good? Opinions anyone?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: If I owned it I probably wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

Outside of the Dream  
By: Starlight – x1

Chapter 3: First Drops

Machika opened her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. For a moment she just lay there blinking and confused. Her body ached but nothing seemed broken. Carefully she sat up, looking around.

"Oh, you're awake."

Machika turned and saw a man in a white lab coat looking at her interestedly. A cigarette dangled from his lips and his dark hair was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail.

"Where am I?" Machika cast another confused look around her.

"I'm a doctor." The man reached forward and touched Machika's forehead. "No, fever, good. You're at my place." He walked away from her a few steps and began to pour something into a cup.

Machika watched him until something soft brushed her fingers. She looked down and watched, somewhat surprised, as an animal that looked to be a cross between a rabbit and a cat flopped contentedly on top her hand and licked her finger with a tiny pink tongue. It opened its eyes and looked up at her, giving Machika another shock as she realized the creature had three eyes.

"Don't worry, he won't hurt you." The doctor had turned back to face her, a steaming cup held in one hand. He walked over to her bed and held out the cup. "Here, take this."

Machika accepted the cup and took a sip. It was delicious, whatever it was. The doctor stood watching her. "A man brought you in." He finally said conversationally. "He gave me a message for you. He wanted me to tell you: Thank you for calling my name." The doctor took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled a long stream of smoke. "He doesn't get involved with people much." He finished quietly.

Unable to think of a reply Machika set the cup down in her lap, cradling it between her hands. The cat/rabbit stirred and began to investigate the contents of the now accessible mug. Machika stared down, watching it. Her mind replayed Rain's message over and over again. _How lonely have you become to be grateful that someone simply called your name?_

"So, what are you going to do?"

Machika looked up. The doctor had seated himself and was now casually flipping through a newspaper. He looked up and caught her confused look. "You're on the bounty list." He explained.

"Oh." Machika looked away. Actually, she wasn't surprised that she now had a bounty put out for her. She had pretty blatantly helped Methuselah to escape, although her only motivation had been to kill him at the time.

"You could stay here." The doctor offered. "I certainly could use an assistant and you're cute enough." He grinned disarmingly at her.

Machika offered a faint smile in reply, her mind still mulling over Rain's message. "Doctor, where did Methuselah, I mean Rain, go?"

The doctor took another long drag on his cigarette before stubbing the butt out in a makeshift ashtray. "I already told you he doesn't get involved with people much. In fact he rarely ever comes to see me. I was actually surprised to see you were the reason he paid me a visit. You're a rare occurrence, Shorty." He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his lab coat. "When he left he didn't tell me exactly where he was headed but he did mention something about going east."

00000

The sound of frantic scratching roused the doctor from sleep. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, yawning widely. The scratching continued and was now joined with a high pitched "mii." The doctor stumbled from his bed and shuffled into the other room. Instantly he noticed Machika's bed was empty. On top of the neatly folded blankets was a small scrap of paper. He reached down and unfolded the note. It was written in a rounded, almost childish scrawl.

_Doctor,_

_Thanks so much for everything you did for me. I wish I could pay you back but I don't have a lot of money. I appreciate your offer to let me stay here but there's something I need to do. _

_Thanks again,_

_Machika_

The doctor looked to where the small animal Machika had fondly christen Kiki scratched frantically on the door and shook his head. Kiki turned to look up at him as he walked over and reached down to scratched behind the tiny creature's long ears. "So, you want to go with her do you?"

Kiki let out another "mii."

The doctor straightened. "All right." He opened the door and Kiki was out like a shot. He watched the tiny animal speed away and shook his head. "Stay with her. Heaven knows Shorty's going to need as many friends as she can get." He shook his head as he shut the door. "Methuselah, I sure hope you know what you're doing."

00000

Machika sat at the back of the wagon, her feet dangling. Kiki was curled in her lap making contented noises while Machika petted the little animal. She was headed for a town where all the rumors pointed to as being the last place Methuselah was seen headed for. Her journey had not been a smooth or easy one. Bounty hunters seeing her small size and apparent youth had thought to make an easy catch on more then one occasion. Machika rubbed at one of her more recent bruises and smiled. She'd disabused everyone who'd come after her of the notion that she was an "easy catch."

But still, it was exhausting, not to mention annoying, having to constantly check over her shoulder while she waited for the next bounty hunter to appear. Thank goodness for Kiki. Her traveling partner had warned her on more then one occasion of an ambush. Kiki lifted his head and let out yawn as the wagon jounced to a halt. The driver leaned around. "Far as I go, little lady."

Machika slid off the wagon and picked up her scythe and bag. Kiki had settled on his normal perch on her shoulder as she walked toward the front of the wagon. "Thanks for the ride."

The old man smiled genially down at her. "No problem little lady. The town's just a little further that-a-way." He gestured down the road.

"Thanks again." Machika lifted her hand in a farewell wave as the old man lifted his reins and urged his horses onto a side road. Then she turned and headed for the town that she could see in the distance.

When she reached the town she was hot, sweaty and hungry. She bit her lip as she walked through the crowds that lined the street. "What I wouldn't give for some water." Machika wiped at her forehead

"Excuse me miss, could I interest you in a constellation map?" A man stepped close and shoved a piece of paper invitingly at her.

Machika waved him off. "Sorry." She hunched her shoulders, trying not to be too visible. All about her were shouts.

"Remember tonight's the beginning of the Star Festival."

"Get your constellation maps here."

Machika heaved a sigh as her stomach growled. "Gotta find someplace to eat." Kiki started bristling. "What's the matter?" Machika reached up to soothe her pet as she glanced around. Her gaze fell on a couple who were pushing their way through the crowd toward her. "Not again." Machika moaned. "I don't have time for this." She darted away. From the shouts behind her she assumed the two bounty hunters had given chase.

Of course it ended in a fight. Machika made one bad turn and found herself in a blocked off alley. The two bounty hunters came in behind her, full of smirks and self satisfaction.

"Give it up honey." The woman advised. "There's nowhere you can run."

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to get hurt." The man grinned as he cracked the knuckles of his left hand. "I'll take her, easy." He told the woman.

"You're the one who's gonna get hurt." Machika said. Kiki leaped off her shoulder to safe spot and the fight began. It wasn't much of one. A single kick sent the man sprawling with a nosebleed.

"Let me go." Machika crouched ready for their next move. "I don't have time for this."

The woman helped the man up while casting wary looks at Machika. "Come on." She urged. "She's too much trouble. The money isn't worth it."

"Can't do that." The man wiped at the blood dripping from his nose with the back of one arm and only succeeded in smearing it all over his face. "That stupid bitch kicked me in the face."

Machika's foot slammed firmly into the side of his face once again. "Who're you calling a bitch?" She asked, seething.

"Damn you." The woman rushed her and found herself sprawled next to her partner. She pulled out a gun only to have Kiki attach himself to her arm. "What in world is this thing?" She shrieked, waving her arm as she tried to dislodge the animal.

"Hey you!"

Machika turned at the yell and saw a very pretty girl on a motorcycle at the entrance of the alley. "Who are you?" Machika stared.

"No time, get on." The girl cast a worried look toward the two bounty hunters. Machika followed her gaze and clambered on the bike behind her unexpected rescuer. Kiki released his grip on the woman's arm and leaped after her as they rode away, leaving the bounty hunters hollering behind them.

"Thanks a lot, you saved me." Machika smiled with relief.

"Uh," The girl sounded worried. "Save your thanks for later." She gave a nervous laugh. "This is my first time on a bike." She confessed.

The bike, Machika noticed, was heading straight for a hedge with no sign of slowing. "Oh no." She closed her eyes just before they crashed. The bike flipped forward sending both the riders flying.

"Ouch." Machika righted herself slowly, feeling new bruises added to old ones.

"Are you all right? I'm so sorry about that." Her rescuer had rushed over and now helped her to her feet.

"I'm fine." Machika assured her. "At least we got away."

"Yeah." The girl glanced back at the wrecked motorcycle and let out another nervous giggle. "We should probably get away from here too."

"You're right." Machika scooped up Kiki. At that moment her stomach chose to let out a rather loud growl. Machika could feel her face flush.

The girl smiled broadly. "Come on, I'll buy you lunch."

Machika considered the nearly empty state of her wallet and agreed.

00000

Rain sat on the balcony where he'd been led and ignored the crowd gathered below. Quite a lot of people had come, hoping to buy this night's attraction. Which was, of course, himself. Rain looked over to where the other auction item and the whole reason he'd allowed himself to get captured, rested. "Exciting Samsara," the game that allowed you to figure out your past lives and future ones. A game that had been developed using reasearch by the man he was fated to meet again very soon. Rain shifted in his seat, half listening to the auctioneer attempt to raise interest in the game. He winced as she threw his hat and violin into the bargain.

Unfortunately for her the crowd was having none of it. They had come for one reason only and they wanted to start bidding.

"Excuse me." Rain interrupted as the auctioneer was about to start bidding on him. "I want that." He nodded toward the game. "Whoever buys it can buy me."

There was a moment of shocked silence from everyone in the auction house before he received a sharp slap on the head from the auctioneer. "Shut up." She ordered. "You're not supposed to say anything."

"Come on, let's bid." Someone in the upper gallery yelled. Then the bidding started. Rain sighed and looked over at the game again. It hadn't worked. Of course he had known it wouldn't, but he'd had to try. He tensed, preparing himself for a hasty escape with the game when a familiar voice made him freeze and look down.

In the middle of the wide open space surrounded by the lower seating for the bidders, stood Machika. She stared up at him with accusing blue eyes. "Rain, you saved me and made me cry before you left. I'm going to get you back and then I'll never give you to anyone."

Rain watched, frozen, as she preceded to beat the auction house's special match fighter: the Invincible Burakio.

"The challenger won." The auctioneer sounded shocked. She cleared her throat before continuing. "Methuselah goes to the challenger."

It wouldn't be so easy. Rain watched as a tall woman dressed in an elegant evening gown and high heeled boots stepped into the ring. She spoke quietly to Machika and then lashed out with a swift heel drop that forced the girl to her knees.

_Get up, come on, you can do it._ Rain rose and moved closer to the balcony rail. Machika stayed kneeling, clutching her shoulder. Rain watched as the woman prepared to launch her high heel directly into Machika's face. The feeling inside him stirred again. He leaped down from the balcony, snatched Machika up in one arm and leaped again, landing on the upper gallery. He could feel Machika's stunned gaze riveted on his face as he effortlessly broke his chains.

Rain looked around at all the faces staring at him and held up "Exciting Samsara" in his left hand. "Goodbye." He said simply and crashed through the glass to freedom.

'

'

'

'

A/N: Okay, just want to clear something up. In the first manga of Immortal Rain, Kiki is referred to by Machika as a female. But in later volumes Kiki seems to switch genders and is referred to as a male. To avoid any confusion I'm just making Kiki male the entire time.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine  
Outside of the Dream  
By: Starlight – x1  
Chapter 4: Broken Wishes

This wasn't right.

Machika stood staring down at Rain. Her knuckles white with the force by which she held her scythe. Ayla had practically handed her the opportunity she wanted most. Namely, to take the head of Methuselah. Then, as if to sweeten the deal, Ayla had promised to pay the bounty on Methuselah's head. Throughout the entire conversation Rain sat, an almost resigned look on his face, staring at the floor. Now Machika was left to carry out her role in this twisted tale, but she found that she couldn't move.

Instead she stared at Rain while something he'd said to Ayla kept running through her mind.

"Still, your life would be over in the blink of an eye and he would hold your lifeless body in his arms and cry until his heart wore away."

Had that been Rain's experience? How many of those close to him had he held in his arms and wept over their death?

"Aren't you going to take my head?"

Rain's question brought Machika out of her musings and she felt a flush of embarrassment and anger. Why was she so hesitant? She lifted her scythe. She would take his head and collect the bounty.

Machika started her swing thinking as she did so that Rain would probably escape, just like normal, leaving her looking like a fool. Midway through her swing she realized he really wasn't going to run. He just sat, staring at the floor like he'd given up finally. The scythe sank into the wall beside his head.

"Why don't you run?" Machika felt her frustration explode with her question

Rain looked up at her, a question in his eyes. "I can go?"

"Yes." Machika flung open the doors to the balcony, staring at him over her shoulder. The thought ran through her mind again. _This isn't right._

Rain seemed to be considering. He glanced outside then back at her. Finally he answered. "If I leave you'll just follow me again."

She turned away. He was right. She would follow him. But she was no longer one hundred percent sure of the reason for her obsession. Did she really want to kill him like she constantly claimed to everyone around her? Or had something changed?

The night sky caught her attention and she gave a gasp of delight as she hurried outside for a better look. The Festival of the Stars had begun. The sky was full of shooting stars. She sensed Rain come stand beside her. "Wouldn't it be nice if every wish was granted?"

"Yeah." Rain stared up at the sky.

"What would you wish for?" Machika suddenly asked.

00000

The question startled Rain. Fragments of memory flooded him

"I wish I would grow taller."

"_I wish my brother would stop hitting me."_

"_I wish my front teeth would grow in."_

Wishes from long years past. _I wish we could all go back…_ Rain stared down at the girl beside him. "That's the first time anyone's ever asked me what I'd wish for." He laid one hand on the railing and stared up at the stars. After a moment he spoke again. "I'd wish to live in the same time as everyone else. I'd want to live and die like everyone around me. I'd wish to be human again."

"But, you know, everyone's jealous of you." Machika said. Rain looked down at her and she grinned. "Life bites doesn't it?"

"Yeah." Rain agreed and they both began to laugh.

_One small moment of peace…_ The thought crossed swiftly, almost nonexistent. It faded with the sound of a scream.

Machika gasped. "Ayla!" She grabbed her scythe and took a few hurried steps toward the door. Rain reached out and halted her with a hand on her arm. "Where are you going?"

"Ayla needs help." Machika pulled her arm from his grasp.

Rain saw the determination in her arms and nodded slowly. "Okay, I'll provide a distraction." He watched her disappear through the door before turning his attention upwards. The stars continued to fall as he searched for a way to climb up to the roof.

00000

Why did it matter so much to him? Rain couldn't help wonder even as he covered Machika with his own body, sheltering her from the bullets Sharem shot at them.

"No Rain," Machika wailed, tears flowing freely from her eyes as she struggled to push him aside. "You'll get hurt. Go."

Rain grunted with the impact of another bullet, feeling the pain that embodied his very existence nowadays. After a moment he let a smile curve his lips. Ignoring the blood that flowed down the side of his face he leaned close, capturing Machika's gaze with his own. "Let me protect you, please." _It's all I can do right now._ Machika stared back at him and stopped struggling. He could feel that same feeling clench in his chest, a pain as different from the physical pain he was experiencing right then as night was from day. Then physical pain overrode everything, exploding in the back of his head. He felt himself falling and could do nothing to stop it. Faintly he heard Machika scream his name and then blackness overtook him.

The dark faded away slowly, urged by the sound of a voice he knew, one his ears strained to hear no matter how hard he tried to push it aside. Slowly he rose, turning toward the most immediate threat. His eyes met Sharem's while his hand closed firmly around the gun in her hand.

"Well, you're more useless then I thought." She taunted him.

Rain didn't say anything, only turned the gun so it was pointing to the side. After a moment Sharem let go and turned away to where her two cohorts were waiting. "We're leaving now." She walked away a couple steps before pausing and turning back to stare at Rain. "I'll leave you a present to remind you just who you are. Confront your past." She gave a slight wave and turned away. "Let's meet again someday Methuselah."

Rain watched until she disappeared from sight before allowing himself to relax. He sank to the ground, leaning his back against a tree. His entire body ached all over. He was so tired.

"Why do you always save me?" Machika slumped to the ground in front him, her gaze riveted to the grass in front of her. "I wanted to get you back by myself."

"How disappointing." Rain couldn't resist the urge to ruffle her hair gently. He grinned as she smacked his hand away and rubbed at her eyes. "Crybaby."

She turned on him in a fury, her fist raised in the air. "It's your fault. You keep doing things that make me cry." She paused and lowered her fist. "You need to be more careful. The way you act now if you did become a human you die right away. You're the type who'd get hit by a car trying to save a dog."

Rain, unsure whether she was complementing or criticizing him opted to smile. "Really? You think so?"

"Idiot, that wasn't a complement. You should be more careful about your life."

"Life?" Rain raised his eyebrows and watched her flush as she realized what she'd said.

"Aw, forget it." Machika turned away from him, hugging herself with her thin arms.

Rain was about to reassure her when something else interrupted them. Kiki bristled up, hissing and growling. Out of the branches above them dropped a figure that was no longer quite human. It landed on all fours while it's slit-eyed gaze locked on Rain. It gave a yowl and launched itself at him. Rain caught the creature, keeping its jaws away from his face. "Run Machika." He could see her sitting there, in shock, her face pale, blue eyes wide. Then he was wrapped up in the fight with the monster.

"Why you?"

The monster's yowls became human words as it crouched over Rain. There was the slightest flicker of humanity within its otherworldly eyes. "Why are you the only one?"

Rain reached out with one hand, felt a branch, and closed his fingers tightly about the wood. He understood the question, had asked it himself many times. Why him? Why had he been chosen? Out of the billions of people Yuca had met throughout his vast lifetimes, why had he only cursed Rain with the gift of immortality?

"I don't know." Rain could give the only answer he had. He watched, face impassive as the "angel" let out a silent scream of agony, long slender branches of flesh sprouting uncontrollably from its back. Tears ran down cheeks smeared with dirt.

"Help."

The plea might've broken his heart if it had been fully awakened. Instead Rain lifted the branch he held high above his head, bringing it down to pierce the heart of the creature he now straddled. The life drained quickly from those strange eyes. There was no peace in death for the creature, only the same twisted anguish that had been there in life.

"Rain! Rain!" The sound of someone frantically calling his name captured his attention. The next moment Machika had skidded to a halt next to him. Rain barely heard her frantic scolding. Instead he found himself reaching out, needing to touch life, vibrancy; needing to touch her. His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb caressing her soft skin. Machika fell silent at his touch, staring up at him unblinkingly.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Machika finally asked.

Rain removed his hand, letting it drop to his side. "If I became human what would I do?" He answered her question with one of his own.

"Huh?" Machika blinked at the sudden change in direction their conversation had taken.

Rain smiled gently at her. "It doesn't matter anymore. The night for wishes is over." He cast a glance up at the sky, now devoid of falling stars.

Machika followed his gaze before her own fell on the corpse lying on the ground impaled with the branch. "Did you kill it?"

Rain could feel that strange, unwanted sensation well up in his heart again. He turned away from the clear blue of Machika's gaze. "You know, you don't need to follow me anymore." He left her standing behind him as he moved quickly away. If he let her stay with him something inside him would wake. He didn't know what it was, but the erasing of the emptiness inside him frightened him slightly. He couldn't allow it. He had a job, a goal that drove his existence. One hand reached up and covered the cross on his chest. His entire reason for living now was carved on that cross, a simple date pointing to a fateful meeting. He would leave her behind; he was good at it by now. As an immortal he left everything behind. He lived outside time, watching it flow past him with a speed he envied, with a longing he no longer felt.

He left her behind, but her steps caught up with him, her persistence followed him and her blue eyes haunted him, catching up to him on the train he took to leave her behind. It was useless. Rain considered for a moment. Machika's grip on him was tighter then the fingers she had wrapped in the front of his coat.

She shifted in her sleep, snuggling closer to him. "Rain…"

Every time she spoke his name the unseen bond between them strengthened. So why, why had he let her call him by it?

"That your name?" Their seatmate spoke up. He didn't wait for Rain's reply, turning his gaze out the window on the pitiless sky. "It's a good one. My granddaddy used to tell me that the sky would cry tears for us, the ones we couldn't. Now I guess we've grown so hopeless that there are no more tears in the entire universe for us." He gave a gruff laugh and took a swig from the bottle he held.

Rain considered for a moment. Maybe there were no more tears. He knew he no longer held any. Maybe Machika was nothing more then a brief wind passing through his existence. A riotous wind at that. He felt her fingers relax and then fall to rest on his lap. He stared down at that small hand, palm upturned, the trusting hand of a child. If he turned away from her for just an instant she would disappear, but something prevented him from doing that. So he sat, letting the warmth of another life tease at the heart he no longer had. Just for a little while.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I've said it before, it's not mine.

Outside of the Dream  
By: Starlight-x  
Chapter 5: First Beat

Machika woke with a start. She sat up; the realization that Rain was nowhere to be found hitting her all at once. The beginnings of panic began to eat away at her thoughts. Her attention fell on the man sitting opposite her who watched her with slight interest. "Where's Rain?"

"The man who was with you? He said he was going to a car in the back." The man jerked his thumb, indicating the way.

"Thanks." Machika followed his directions, feeling her heart race with each step she took. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why would he stick around me? I told him I was going to kill him. It's dumb to think that he would stay. But still…I…_

She exited the car and saw him sitting, silhouetted against the sky, his hair blowing in the wind. She paused, the thudding of her heart easing._ If he had vanished, I don't know what I would've done. Grandfather…_

"What are you doing Rain?" Machika climbed the ladder, peering over the top of the luggage car.

Rain glanced at her and then away, flopping back, his hands behind his head. "Nothing." His answer was short, neutral. "I couldn't sleep next to you."

"Idiot." Machika felt a flash of temper. "You're the one who slept in my bed without permission when we first met."

"Your face is red."

"Shut up."

Rain turned his face away from her. "My dreams are bad when you're next to me."

Machika quietly settled into a comfortable position on top of a flour sack. "Rain, are you mad at me?" _Are you going to disappear and leave me all alone too? _

"Huh? Why would I be mad? I mean, you only tried to kill me and then flattened my hat by sitting on it while you were sleeping. Of course I'm not mad. Unlike you I'm an understanding type of guy."

Machika felt her cheeks flame with a sudden flash of anger that cooled as quickly as it came. Her gaze dropped to her hands and she watched her fingers twist together and then apart, playing with the fabric of her dress._ Of course he would be mad. It was stupid to think he'd be nice again, kind again. But being with him… Being with him feels…_

"You don't have to worry." Rain's words cut through her thoughts. "I won't run away, I promise."

_Being with him feels like home._ Machika looked up, staring at him even though his head was turned away from her. _Like home._ The thought surprised and disturbed her. But she wasn't given time to concentrate on her newfound feeling The train jerked suddenly as if struck by something. "What was that?" Machika clambered down and onto the back of the passenger car. She turned toward Rain for an answer when the train jerked again.

Rain lost his balance and fell forward, his face buried in her chest. He peered up at her from his new position and gave a nervous laugh. "Sorry about that."

"You think this is funny?" Machika could feel heat flood her face and knew she was blushing a deep crimson. Almost without thinking she raised her hands in interlocked fists and brought them down hard on Rain's head, knocking him to the floor and away from her chest.

The panic-stricken voice of the conductor distracted her from exacting any more retribution against Rain.

"Desert pirates? Is that what he said?" Machika immediately abandoned Rain and headed toward the front of the train. She was half-way through the car when the windows shattered and four figures leaped into the train, eliciting screams from some of the women sitting in the car.

A young man with blonde hair who looked slightly familiar grinned at all the passengers. "Your money, your luggage, and your women now belong to Eury Evans and the Desert Pirates." He gave a large and somewhat leering grin. "Those who disobey will be killed…"

Machika had quite enough of the speech and the attitude of the so-called Desert Pirate. She launched a kick that sent Eury falling backwards. "I disobeyed. Now what?" She asked the slightly stunned Eury who sat up shaking his head and fingering his jaw gingerly.

He stared up at her where she balanced across the aisle. "I know you." The shock in his voice was visible. A slightly shorter blonde brushed past Eury and came to stand by Machika. "You brat, get down from there or else you're going to get killed…"

Machika didn't wait for him to finish his sentence. She planted both feet in his face and pushed, sending him flying backwards. "Anybody else want to try?" She challenged. "I'm already in a bad mood." _I want him to touch me, I want to feel safe again like I did with Grandfather, but I can't, not with him. It's not possible…I know it won't happen. _

_It can't happen. He won't treat me that way. Why should he? Why do I want him to anyway? _Machika tried to immerse herself in the fight, tried to drown out her own thoughts with the senseless brutality of hand to hand combat. But with each blow her frustration only increased.

"Hey brat!"

Machika glanced over to where Eury had his gun pressed firmly against the side of Rain's head. "I wonder just how many bullets an immortal can take point blank to the head and survive?"

"Rain, you idiot." Machika let her fists drop to her sides, her jaw clenched in irritation as she allowed herself to be herded with the other passengers into the last car.

She crouched with the group and watched irritably while Rain was wrapped in chains by Eury while the rest of the group looted the passenger's luggage.

"Hey bro," the tallest member of the Desert Pirates came up to where Eury was finishing securing the last chain around Rain's body. "Are you coming back with us?"

"Nah, I'm doing what's most fun." Eury gave the chains one final tug and then sat back on his heels.

"Bro?" Machika couldn't hide the skepticism in her voice as she looked from one to the other. "Does that mean..?"

"Yep," Eury stood up and threw his arms out with a dramatic flair. "The Desert Pirates are five siblings with different mothers." He paused and bent closer, squinting slightly as he stared at Machika. "Hey, you're a girl." He gripped her chin lightly, tilting her face as he examined her with interest. "You're not really my type, but…"

The next moment he was knocked back as Rain sat up, his head connecting with Eury's chin. "Did I miss anything?"

The innocence in Rain's voice sent Machika into a towering rage. "Miss something? It's your fault I was captured. Idiot."

"Hey, Eury, are you sure this moron's really Methuselah?" The only female pirate asked her brother, jerking her thumb toward Rain.

"She said he's METHUSELAH?"

"Are you kidding? He's the famous bounty?"

"That's what the pirates were after?"

As the comments from the passengers surrounding them became louder Machika noticed that Rain seemed to become quieter and withdrawn. Concerned she leaned forward trying to see his face. "Rain…"

"I think you have the wrong person." Rain gave a nonchalant shrug. "I've never heard such a strange name before."

"Who else is that strong?" Eury pointed dryly to the chains Rain had broken with his movements.

As the rest of the passengers turned to stare en masse at them Rain began to sidle along the wall toward the end of the car, nudging Machika along as he went. When he turned and bolted Machika was right on his heels. Outside of the car Rain stopped and grabbed Machika. "Up," The word was the only explanation he gave as he thrust her toward the top of the car. Machika took the hint and swung herself the rest of the way up. Rain followed her easily. He had just settled on the roof next to her when the door to the passenger car they'd just exited opened and the Desert Pirates swarmed out following their leader into the next car.

"What should we do?" Machika turned to look at Rain, her voice barely above a whisper. "All of the passengers are on the last car, if we disconnect it, then we could get away."

"My luggage." Rain sat up.

"Huh?"

"It's in the other car." Rain began to climb down. "I have to get it."

"Don't be an idiot." Machika grabbed at his sleeve. "Is it that important?"

"It's my lunch, canteen and pillow."

"And your violin, right?" Machika perched on the railing, watching as Rain worked on unfastening the coupling between the two train cars. "That's what you really want to get." She tilted her head, studying him. "It's so old and you can barely play it."

"Yeah, I can't play it as well as her."

"Her?" Startled, Machika couldn't hold back the question.

Rain didn't look up as he answered, focusing on his task. "Someone who died a long time ago."

Machika bit her lower lip, sensing the memories hidden within that short sentence. She ignored Rain when he spoke again, interrupting him with a question of her own. "Was she that important to you?"

He looked at her then, sitting back on his heels, an inquisitive look on his face. "Why this sudden interest in my female relationships?"

Machika felt her face heat up. "Dummy, I'm not…"

"It's the only thing I have left of her." Rain turned back to the train coupling.

_Memories bound up in an object. Violin or scythe, it didn't matter. Precious memories. Something to cling to._

Machika listened as Rain told her to take care of the passengers. She took a step back before giving him a push that sent him stumbling to the released car. Startled he regained his balance and turned around to stare at her. "What did you do that for?"

"Didn't you believe me?" Machika stared at the door into the car, raising her voice so Rain could hear her as they drew further apart. "I told you I'd help you. I'm not as weak as you think." She turned to face him, smiling. "I'll get your violin for you." _I'll help you, I'm strong, not weak. I can be useful. _

She turned and entered the passenger car.

00000

The railroad tracks stretched out into the distance. The train itself was a speck on the horizon. Rain paused. He could leave now. Simply turn and walk away; disappear. She wouldn't be able to follow him anymore. He could go back to drifting while he waited for the appointed day.

"_I'm not weak."_

Blue eyes and a smile like sunshine flashed across his memory. A small, strong back, determination. Rain's eyes flew open. There was no longer any question in his mind.

_Run._

It defied logic. Why should he chase after this girl who only wanted to kill him? There wasn't any reason he should.

_Faster._

But he couldn't stop. She had stirred something within him. No matter what he tried it was too late. Like a flower opening under the warm rays of the sun, Machika had begun to revive his dying soul.

_Faster._

He had to catch up to her. He could see the train in the distance. The bridge, there was something wrong with the bridge.

_FASTER._

He reached out gripping the end car and dug in his heels, snapping railroad ties as he tried to slow the train down. He pulled back with all his strength, feeling his muscles strain as he fought against the weight and momentum of the train and steam locomotive.

Slowly, the train came to a stop, the locomotive resting precariously on the partly destroyed bridge.

Rain swung himself up on the back of the car, pushing open the door. The Desert Pirates were all in the car, but his gaze locked on Machika and never strayed as he walked towards her.

"Rain?" There was surprise in her voice

He didn't say anything, reaching out and gripping her arm, examining a bleeding cut. She jerked away. "It's only a scratch."

Satisfied she was fine he looked her in eyes. "Why did you do it?"

She looked away; he could see the hint of a flush on her cheeks. "Well, I wanted to help you and it seemed really important to you." She held out the violin. "See, in perfect condition, not a scratch on it." The pride in her voice was unmistakable.

As he stared down at the instrument Rain felt a quick burst of anger. She had risked her life for this, a simple piece of wood? "Forget it." He slapped the violin out of Machika's hands. It fell to the ground with a noisy clatter.

Machika stared up at him, her eyes wide, her hands still outstretched as if she still offered to him the violin. "But, I wanted you to believe me. I can help you, I know I can."

Rain turned away, unable to look into those blue eyes filled with confusion, at those hands stretched out towards him. "I don't need your help, now or ever. There's nothing you can save for me." What could she do against Yuca? The man had already taken everything from him. What was left to save?

The hint of a sound made him turn. Machika stood perfectly still, tears streaming down her cheeks as she cried silently. Rain stared, stricken, seeing in her eyes hurt and ultimate loss. Her hands had dropped to her sides.

The bridge gave a long protesting creak and buckled, collapsing entirely. The locomotive began to fall, dragging the remaining passenger cars after it. Pandemonium broke out as the Desert Pirates scrambled to escape. Rain stayed frozen, ignoring the fact that they were falling, locked in place by Machika's gaze. Her eyes slowly closed, freeing him. The heart he didn't have gave a painful lurch. He had to save her. He grabbed her, pulling her close, feeling her hands clutch at his arms, her face hidden.

As the locomotive crashed into the ground Rain leaped from the back of the last passenger car onto the falling remains of the bridge, running down the debris until there was no more. Freefalling the remaining distance until he landed in the large metal hands of a robot piloted by a small girl with large glasses. Gently Rain laid Machika down, bending over her. Her eyes opened and she looked up at him.

"Are you alright?"

At the sound of his question her eyes filled with tears. One hand raised to cover her face while the other pushed him away. Startled he watched as she leaped to the ground and began to run. His attempt to go after her was thwarted by a robot hand slamming down on his back. Pinned to the ground he could only watch as her steps carried her further and further from him.

_Pain. Can a heart that doesn't exist cry?_

_Don't go; stay. I don't want to be alone… not anymore._

He blinked and she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I feel that I must give my apologies to all of you readers who have been waiting patiently for an update. My life has been crazy, but that isn't a reason for me not to do my best and write when I can. Anyway, this is the longest chapter in this fic to date; I figured you all deserved it.

Outside of the Dream  
By: Starlight-x  
Chapter 6: Chasing

Machika ran. How long or how far she couldn't say. She only knew that it felt like her heart would break into a million pieces if she stopped. The sharp stabbing pain of a side ache was the thing to finally slow her down. She leaned against a rock and gasped for air, watching as the tears that overflowed from her eyes splashed to the ground, darkening the sand for just a moment before the heat made the wetness disappear.

_Just like Rain. He's leaving me behind. I can't blame him, who would want to keep someone around who'd threatened to kill you?_

The feeling of loss deep inside her heart evoked another bout of tears. Machika slumped to the ground. She couldn't seem to stop the tears flooding from her eyes. Rain didn't want her. That much had been obvious. She was just a nuisance following him around like that, threatening to take his head. I mean, who would really want a crazy girl with a scythe following them?

_What's left for me though? Grandfather's dead, I can't get him back, no matter how much I might want to._

She didn't have a reason to take Rain's head, no matter what she said otherwise. She would leave him. That was the only concrete thought inside her head. She wouldn't force Rain to endure her presence anymore.

Still, the thought of no longer seeing his face or hearing his voice made her heart die just a little more.

"Mii."

Something soft rubbed against her ankle. Machika looked and saw Kiki. The little animal looked up at her with anxious eyes. "Mii?"

"Kiki." Machika reached down with one hand and stroked the little creature's head. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't want to be alone again." _I don't want anymore days of looking for a kind face in a sea of strangers, waiting for a familiar voice to call my name just one more time, longing to feel a loving touch that would let me know I'm not alone._

More tears. She seemed to have an abundance of them today. Machika sniffed, rubbing at her face. She really had to stop crying now.

The scuff of a foot against sand alerted her to the presence of another. Turning she looked up and saw the last person she wanted to see then. "Rain?" Immediately she was aware of the tear tracks that still glistened on her cheeks. She hastened to remove any evidence of her cry, fighting the urge to burst into tears again. "I got something in my eye." Her excuse sounded flimsy even to her.

She rose, backing away from him, her hands clutched tightly behind her back. "I'm sorry Rain, I was getting in the way." She dropped her gaze, unable to look at him. "So stupid of me, thinking I could help you out." She could feel his gaze on her still. "I wish I could disappear." Turning she attempted to run, only to feel her hand captured by a larger one.

"No, let go Rain." Machika struggled to free herself, pulling helplessly. Rain's grip on her hands, was firm even while it was gentle, preventing her from fleeing.

"Enough already!" Machika could no longer stop the tears she'd been suppressing. "I'll forget everything about you Rain, I won't chase you anymore. I promise."

At her words Rain abruptly let go, causing her to stumble back several steps. Machika looked up and the look in Rain's eyes froze her. He reached out and pulled her to him in an embrace.

"At this point I don't even want my grim reaper turning her back on me." He tightened his hold on her. "I'm sorry, your life is so fragile."

Machika grabbed the front of his shirt and looked up at him. "Would you hold me like glass?" She caught his gaze. "I already told you, I'm not weak. I can take care of myself." He was so tall. Machika buried her face in his front, clutching him tightly. "Besides, I still have to take your head."

"Really?" There was slight amusement in his voice.

"Yeah," Machika ignored him, feeling the tears start flowing again, tears of relief now. "I'll definitely be your grim reaper."

00000

She was sleeping, her head cradled in his lap. Rain leaned back against the rock formation they were seated under and ran one hand lightly over Machika's hair. She had cried and clung to him until weariness had taken over and she slept. He stared down at her face, peaceful in repose. He was still unsure of what to make of her, this girl, so young, so vibrant. But he was content to let her stay with him for now.

She filled the place in his heart that had responded to her tears.

The sound of rain falling lulled him, giving him a sense of peace.

00000

"I'm wondering about something Rain." Machika's voice was casual, even

"Hmm?" Rain didn't look over at her, his face conveniently hidden by his hair. He hadn't seemed concerned throughout the entire embarrassing episode of being searched, and then forced into a suit of genderless prison garb.

Machika felt a nervous twitch inside her as she stared into the room filled with tables of men eating. Several brawls were taking place which the guards ignored. She had to restrain the urge to drop her dinner tray and clutch at Rain's shirt. Having been stripped of her scythe she felt extraordinarily vulnerable. "Never mind."

"Come on." Rain didn't seem bothered by her abrupt refusal to speak her mind. He led the way through the tables until they came to two open places.

Machika followed Rain's example, dropping into the seat next to him. The immortal began to eat, seemingly undisturbed by the chaos around him.

Resting her chin on her left hand Machika stared up at him. He seemed relaxed. _It's like he doesn't even care that we're heading for the execution grounds. Like he doesn't care that someone is waiting there to cut off his head._

So absorbed was she in her perusal of Rain that she jumped as hands landed heavily on her shoulders. The next instant she was pulled roughly from her seat.

"Hey, look, it's a chick."

The excited exclamation brought a group of men gathering.

"W-wait a minute…" Machika face blanched as hands roamed over her body. One man even leaned in close to sniff at her hair. Someone grabbed at her butt and squeezed. "Hey!"

"Now where can I take you?" The man who had discovered her glanced around. "Maybe the bathroom…"

Suddenly he was gone, tossed aside like a sack of old clothes. Machika stared in surprise as he crashed into a table several feet away. Then she felt a pair of hands lift her and settle her gently back into her chair. Rain sat down beside her and resumed eating like nothing had happened.

The silence that filled the room was broken by an irritated growl. The next moment Rain was bowled over as the man he'd just thrown rammed into him, driving him into the floor. "I'm gonna kill you!"

"Rain!" Machika leaped to her feet.

"Quit it you idiots."

The voice that cut across the chaos was full of authority, irritation and definitely feminine.

"Rain!" Machika dropped to his side.

"Methuselah!"

The same feminine voice captured her attention. Machika looked up to see one of the most imposing woman she'd ever met standing over them. The woman's gaze was fixed on Rain. "Who are you?" Machika blinked at the woman.

That intense glare was transferred toward her for a moment. "I'm the on duty guard." The woman snapped before turning back to Rain.

"Um, excuse me Miss?"

Machika turned to see the captain standing next to her. He had kindly eyes and a large mustache and he was even shorter then her. "Could you help out in the kitchens? We're a little shorthanded."

"Uh, sure." Machika glanced over at Rain to see his reaction. He was looking at her, but as soon as their eyes met he turned his head away.

Irritated without knowing why Machika turned and followed the captain out of the room.

The captain was right; the kitchen was most definitely shorthanded. The few women working there greeted her happily and set her to washing the dirty dishes that covered one counter.

As she worked Machika found her mind wandering. The past several days seemed clouded in a haze of unreality. Coming to some kind of understanding with Rain, going back to pick up their stuff and finding the business card Eury had left behind along with their things, following Rain and becoming inmates on Prison Airship 54. Of course that last one had made her question Rain's sanity for a bit. But now she had taken a more pragmatic view of the situation. They would escape. Until then she would just do her best. She dried her hands on a towel and turned toward the food preparation area. She would make Rain some lunch.

00000

Rain sloshed water over the deck, pushing the mop back and forth without any real effort. The words the captain's wife had spoken to him echoed in his mind.

"What are you thinking, letting that girl follow you? She's not immortal like you. You should let her go before she gets caught up in your fate and you ruin her life."

He knew, better then anyone the dangers that surrounded his day to day existence. Hunters out for the extravagant bounty on his head, fearful or superstitious people reacting to his very presence. And then there was _him._ Rain paused in his work, one hand reaching up to grip the iron cross on his chest. The date engraved there was carved deep into his memory.

He knew he shouldn't let Machika stay with him but the thought of being without her….

It hurts. Pain… 

"HEY, what are you doing up here?"

Rain turned his head to see Machika confronting the guard.

"I'm bringing him a snack. He's been working since early this morning." She noticed Rain was looking at her and waved enthusiastically. "Hey Rain! I made you some oniguri!" She took a step forward, trying to move around the guard. He made a grab for her tipping her tray. Rain watched as one of the oniguri fell to the ground where the guard subsequently stepped on it.

Everyone froze. The guard glanced up at Rain and then quickly turned away. "Don't stay too long." He spoke gruffly to Machika before leaving the deck.

Rain bent over and carefully scooped up the dilapidated rice ball. Without looking at Machika he stuffed the entire thing into his mouth.

"Don't eat it dummy! It was on the ground!" Machika heaved a sigh and the asked in a quieter voice. "Was it okay? Don't blame me if it makes you sick."

Rain swallowed the rice in his mouth, settled himself on the deck and reached for one of the oniguri still on the tray Machika held. "I was prepared for that since you made them."

He heard Machika's irritated growl, turned and gave her a cheeky smile. She plopped down next to him and grinned back, a faint blush staining her face.

For a while there was quiet as Rain ate. Despite his teasing comment he found the oniguri to be quite delicious. There was something he found comforting about the simple food.

"Wow!"

Machika's sudden comment startled him and he looked over to see she'd risen to her feet and was staring enraptured at the vast blue of the ocean spreading beneath them.

"Look Rain, it's the ocean." In her enthusiasm Machika grabbed him and gave him a shake.

"I see, I see." Rain raised his hands in self-defense.

Machika released him and turned back to the railing. "It's my first time seeing it." She rested her arms on the railing. "It's so big and pretty it almost makes you want to cry doesn't it?"

Rain found himself lost in watching the changing emotions on Machika's face smiled gently. "Yeah."

He finished the last oniguri and turned to look out at the ocean, it spread out for what seemed to be infinity, finally merging with the blue of the sky on the horizon.

"Rain?" A tug on his sleeve captured his attention. He looked down to see Machika staring intently at him.

"Rain, why did you become immortal?"

The question threw him for a moment. But the answer came immediately to his lips. "I can't die, not until I meet him again."

"Who?" Machika leaned closer.

"Yuca Collabell." The name came easier then he would've thought possible. "The date when we would meet again is carved on the cross on my chest." Until then he would just have to wait. Machika was still clutching his arm tightly. Gently he disentangled her grip. "I will meet him again, and then we'll settle things."

00000

Machika lay on the bed in her cell. Kiki rubbed against her anxiously. Her happy bubble had been burst abruptly by the guard.

"He's immortal. There's no way you could live with him."

The woman's words had hit hard.

_I was so stupid._ Machika hid her face in the blankets. _Of course Rain is going to leave me and there's nothing I can do._

She gave a sniffle, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes.

Something dropped by her head; a soft almost indistinct perfume disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Machika looked and saw a small white flower resting on the sheet near her head. Abruptly she sat up and plucked the blossom up for a closer inspection. As she did more flowers drifted down in a fragrant shower. Kiki batted at the flowers as they fell.

Machika looked up to find the source of the flowers to be the vent near the ceiling. The cover had been removed and a hand appeared with astonishing regularity to drop another handful of blossoms.

Rain… 

"What are you doing?"

The hand appeared again. "I thought this would cheer you up."

"Why don't you come out of the vent?" Machika brushed the petals of a flower across her lips. It felt soft.

"I would, but I'm stuck." Rain sounded somewhat apologetic.

Machika sighed and stood up. "Give me your hands." She gripped Rain's hands that he obligingly thrust out, stuck one foot firmly against the wall and pulled with all her strength.

It took a lot of tugging on her part and pained grunts from Rain before he slid the rest of the way out of the vent in a shower of flower petals and both of them fell back in a heap on the bed.

"Ah, thanks. I was thinking I was never gonna get out of there." Rain gave a sheepish grin.

Machika stared somberly at him and then dropped her gaze.

"Machika?"

Hot tears formed and spilled down her cheeks.

"Um, did I tell you that I really liked the oniguri? I was just kidding about getting sick."

"That's not it, that's not it!" Machika clenched her hands, feeling her nails dig into her palms. "You're all I have to live for." She buried her face in her hands.

She was pulled forward and found herself caught in a tight embrace. Rain didn't say anything and Machika allowed herself to be held until her tears slowed, gripping his shirt with her hand. "Rain, if you stay immortal, if you can't become human again, then I'll live as long as I can, until I'm two hundred years old. I won't leave you alone, I promise."

The door to the cell slammed open. "Methuselah, come quickly."

Machika looked and saw the captain standing in the doorway. He took in the scene before him and his cheeks flushed a bright red.

"Ex-excuse me." He turned and exited as abruptly as he'd entered only to enter again just as abruptly. "Sorry, but this is important."

"Just tell me what you need to." Rain said patently.

The next few moments were a blur for Machika, the captain babbling on about intruders and herding both of them down various hallways. Next thing she knew she was holding her scythe again and Rain had changed back to his normal clothes.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Rain asked the captain.

"You were planning to escape anyway, weren't you?" The captain smiled. "Hurry and go."

.Machika watched as Rain moved away from her. She didn't move unsure of her place. _Should I go, or am I supposed to stay here?_

Rain turned, looking. A smile lifted his lips and he reached out one hand to her. "Come on Machika."

The invitation unfroze her feet and Machika ran toward that welcoming hand, reaching out to grab it, their fingertips brushed.

Pain exploded in Machika's left shoulder and she was falling backwards away from Rain and the sudden desperation in his face. He was still reaching for her. Then she heard him give a sudden loud cry.

"MACHIKA!"


	7. Chapter 7

Outside of the Dream  
By: Starlight-x  
Chapter 7: Area 24

He didn't take time to react, he simply jumped. As he fell Rain reached out, straining to catch hold of Machika's plummeting body. He grabbed for her, missed, reached again. This time he managed to catch hold of her limp hand. He pulled her close, cradling her in his arms as he concentrated on the rapidly approaching ground. This landing was going to hurt.

It did. Rain felt the impact all the way up his legs, could feel the bones break. He staggered forward a couple steps before collapsing. It was cold. Snow. He struggled to his feet, ignoring the pain. He had to keep moving.

"Hey look, it's snowing Machika. This is your first time to see snow, huh? What do you think of it?" Rain held the limp form of the girl closer. _You can't die, I won't let you. Please don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone._ "Come on Machika, wake up and look."

He fell. It was so cold and the pain overwhelming. He was going to black out. Rain reached for Machika, She was so white and still, blood still seeping from her wound. He had to keep her warm. He pulled her close, trying to cover her with his body as much as he could, struggling against the blackness that was seeping across his vision. _We're gonna get covered by the snow, no one will be able to find us, just you and me out here together forever. _He lost track of everything then as his consciousness finally slipped away.

It was a dream, Yuca was shaking him roughly, trying to wake him up. "Come on Methuselah." Rain frowned. When had Yuca ever called him Methuselah?

"Hey Methuselah, you alive?"

Come to think of it, something was wrong with Yuca's voice, maybe he had a cold.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to start my experiments before he wakes up."

Rain's eyes flew open and he sat up.

"He wakes!"

Rain looked over to see a familiar face grinning at him. "Doctor."

"You know, you are one heavy dude. I don't think I'll try dragging you around again any time soon." The doctor gave a sigh and fished for a cigarette.

"Machika! How is she?"

"The little lady's pretty banged up, but I patched her up and I think she'll be just fine. Unfortunately she doesn't heal as quickly as you do." The doctor shot a meaningful glance at Rain's legs.

"Where is she?"

The doctor jerked a thumb. "Right over there."

Rain turned his head and saw her. Machika was laying on a makeshift bed, covered warmly with coats and blankets. He knelt down next to her, gently smoothing back her hair. "She's warm."

"She's a tad feverish." The doctor agreed. He took a drag from his cigarette. "It might be because she was laying in the snow for a while before I found you or it could be a reaction to the gunshot wound. Possibly both."

"Oh." Rain stood and looked around him. He blinked once and then stood very still.

"Thought you might recognize the place." The doctor shifted slightly. "Calvaria's headed here. I thought I should make a little salvage trip before they actually got here."

Rain turned around, ignoring him. Memories from long ago filled his mind. Pain, blood and betrayal mixed with memories of a girl with slender legs and long black hair. _Freya._

She was still there, staring into the distance, her dark eyes forever unblinking. An unchanging girl captured in a prison of glittering ice. The only mar to her beauty was the blood that stained her chest and splattered patterns on her face. Rain stood staring up at her. _Freya. _This was where it all began. He placed the violin down gently at the foot of the ice pillar. _Here, I brought it back to you. I couldn't play it as well as you could, no matter how hard I tried._

He stared up at her lost in memory until a familiar voice called him back to the present.

"Rain, there you are. I thought you might've left me again."

Turning his head Rain saw Machika standing behind him.

"Hey, you shouldn't be out of bed."

"I'm fine," Machika grinned impishly at him. "Guess you'll get to meet Yuca soon huh? I'll be here for you."

Rain tuned her out, striding forward and wrapping her in a firm hug, being careful about her shoulder, feeling her warmth, her pulse, her breath. She was alive.

"Rain, what's wrong?" Machika's small hands patted his back awkwardly.

Rain held her close a little longer before pushing back and eyeing her flushed face. "You should be in bed, you have a fever." A unfamiliar feeling welled up inside him seeing the bandages that covered various portions of her body. _What was it? Guilt?_

"I'm fine." Machika waved her right arm in enthusiastic circles. "I can still keep moving."

He couldn't stand watching her, seeing her like this. He could feel Freya's dead gaze burn into the his back, silently accusing him. "I'm sorry, it's my fault you're hurt."

"It's not your fault."

Rain balled his fists, listening as her soft voice acquitted him from any wrongdoing. There was a pause.

"Hey Rain, that girl, is she the one your violin belongs to?"

_Freya…_ Rain closed his eyes. _I don't want to remember, please, don't come back._

"Why won't you talk to me?" Machika's voice held frustration and pain. "Let me carry half your burden. Didn't you say we would go together? Didn't you promise that? You'll let me stay with you, won't you? "

Had he? He'd held out his hand and her blood had stained him, just like Freya's did. If she stayed with him she would end up like Freya had.

"Rain, you're an ass."

Rain turned at that unexpected comment. Machika lay crumpled on the ground. Carefully he picked her up and carried her back to her bed, watching as the doctor fussed over her and scolded her lightly. He couldn't stay with her, he couldn't let her be hurt anymore. Crouching next to her he offered a small smile. "I'll be in the next room if you need anything. Just call me, okay?"

"Rain,"

She stopped him at the door.

"Sleep next to me please."

He risked a glance over his shoulder, turning away quickly. "I don't want to catch a cold."

A tug on his coat, her hand gripping tightly, not letting him leave. "Please."

That small word mixed with the tears in her eyes decided him. Rain slid into the makeshift bed next to the small girl, facing away from her. He could feel her hand fist in the back of his coat.

She began speaking, recounting a story from her past. He listened to the words, hearing the silent plea behind them. _Don't leave me._ Words that echoed silently within his heart.

"It hurts being with you, because Rain you remind me of sadness."

He held her hands while she wept the tears he couldn't. Each of her sobs sent a sharp pain through him, reviving his heart a little more with each throb.

It was there, holding her hands and hiding his face behind his hair that he began to tell her the story that had begun six hundred years ago. Growing up an orphan, days filled with sunlight and laughter. Freya and Yuca. His family, his home. How it all broke to pieces, his betrayal by one closer to him than a brother. The only part he didn't consciously tell her was of the blossoming first love he'd experienced. But even that was woven through the words that spilled from his lips.

The story took several days to tell. Machika listened silently as he spoke, never interrupting or asking for more explanation then he gave.

When he finally finished he felt an almost cathartic relief, as if he'd come from a long overdue confessional. He smiled at the thought of Machika as his priest, granting him absolution.

The feeling of relief didn't last long. He could feel Yuca's presence in the back of his mind drawing ever nearer as the day to his rebirth came closer.

_Kill me Rain. If you want humanity to survive then you will have to kill me again and again. Unless of course you decide you would rather just destroy everything and die with me._

"Rain? Hey, are you okay?"

Rain forced a cheerful expression as he turned to face Machika. "Good morning!"

She seemed a little taken aback by his enthusiastic greeting. "Uh, good morning."

He eyed her outfit. The coat was one he'd never seen her wear before and he mentioned the fact.

"Um, yeah, the captain put it in the bag for me. He was really nice. Oh, and his wife was too although she did scare me at first."

Her right boot was undone, she was still a child in some ways. Rain hid a smile as he knelt to fix it. "You got to make sure you fasten these right. Otherwise you'll catch a cold again and act all spoiled and weak…" He was babbling, but somehow he couldn't stop himself. If he did there would be silence and he would have to think again about everything he had told her, everything he'd tried so hard to forget.

Her hand came to rest on the top of his head and Rain froze. He peeked up at her, a cheerful expression still on his face.

"You don't have to smile all the time, not around me." She dropped to her knees in front of him, leaning against his chest. "It's been hard and painful hasn't it?"

Her words released tears he didn't know he had anymore. Tears dredged up from six hundred year old wounds. He met Machika's gaze. "Yeah."

He felt her thin arms wind around his waist and grip him tightly and he concentrated on that feeling, letting the tears fall silently.

"YAAHH!! I give up."

The shout startled both of them and they turned to see the doctor with a struggling blonde held in a headlock.

"Hey, look I caught an angel." The doctor grinned cheerfully at them.

Rain scrubbed at his face, wiping away any trace of tears left while Machika pointed at the captive accusingly. "You're…"

"Eury Evans." He lifted a hand in greeting.

"Oh, you mean you're not an angel?" The doctor managed to interject some disappointment into his voice as he looked at his captive.

"No." Eury brushed himself off with a slightly dignified air after the doctor released him.

"What are you doing here?"

"You mean here where you are? Or _here_ in this cold, god-forsaken remains of biological laboratory?"

"Here at the laboratory." The doctor said calmly. "I know how you came to this floor, I watched you come out of the garbage shoot after all."

"Oh." Eury sighed. "Well, it's really simple actually."

"Wait, might as well be comfortable well we listen." The doctor interrupted him. He led the way back to the area were they'd set up camp and the group settled around the small fire. Rain took a seat next to Eury and watched as the young man helped himself to stew that was simmering over the flames.

"Well," Eury began again around spoonfuls of food. "Calvaria's goals are really simple. They want to control the arms market, which is why we're here. We're looking for biological weapons, or angels." He snuck a glance at Rain. "This place's a goldmine of them. If we can mass produce them countries fighting wars will pay billions to purchase them. I mean, after all that's what they were originally created for."

"Stop that!" Machika stood up, her blue eyes flashing. "Rain isn't like that. You guys better get out of here."

Rain watched her, surprised by her actions once again. She was defending him, even though Eury's words hadn't wounded him in the slightest, she was offended for him.

"Geez." Eury set his bowl down and stared at her in amazement, then a light seemed to dawn in his eyes. "Oh, I get it. You're in love with him aren't you?"

_In love? With me?_ Rain looked at Machika in astonishment. Her face was lit up bright red and her mouth dropped open. She caught Rain's gaze and her face brightened even more in embarrassment.

"Die you stupid idiot." She slugged Eury in the face and fled, disappearing down one of the corridors that connected the room they were in.

Rain watched her leave, rising to follow her.

"Methuselah?"

He turned, glanced back at the doctor.

"Why do you let that girl follow you?" There wasn't a trace of humor in the doctor's eyes as he spoke. "I don't know how you and Yuca are connected together, but I do know that if you let that girl tag along anymore she'll end up like that girl in the ice." His gaze seemed to bore into Rain as he continued. "Isn't it time to end this pretense of being human?"

"Pretense of being human?" Rain felt a surge of frustration. His hands curled into fist involuntarily. All the years of his existence seemed to surge through his memory. How dare this man dismiss the majority of his life as a mere act. "What do you know?" He covered his face with one hand, surprised at the rush of anger that filled him.

_It's_ _Machika. With her I feel more alive, more human than I've felt for a while. Why? Tears? I thought I was done crying. _

Rain turned away from both the doctor and Eury. He dragged a box over by one of the remaining support pillars and sat down. Something stirred in his consciousness, like a distant heartbeat coming rapidly nearer. He could feel it beating, throbbing, growing stronger. _Yuca. I won't let you destroy this world. I won't let you hurt her. I'll protect it this time. I'll protect Machika from you…_

Miles away a woman shrieked in agony as her stomach was ripped apart by the rebirth of the being know as Yuca Collabell.

_Rain? Are you there?_

Rain stiffened, hands folded tightly together. _I'm waiting, come find me and we'll finish this finally._

_Yuca…._


	8. Chapter 8

Outside of the Dream  
Starlight-x  
Chapter 8: Separation

They were all impossible. Frustrated the doctor bundled his possessions together. After Machika had run off and Methuselah had sulked away from them he'd been left with their uninvited guest. Eury hadn't stuck around very long either.

"Well, gotta be going. Thanks for the food, it was great."

And that was that. The doctor sighed. Methuselah's behavior wasn't really that unusual. It was the look on his face as he sat there that had decided the doctor. It was time to leave. Something big was coming. "Probably Yuca," The doctor pulled on his backpack and stood up. "Don't want to be caught anywhere near here when those two meet." He did have his innate curiosity, but personal survival took precedence over everything else. After all, _he_ wasn't immortal.

Now which of his discoveries did he want to take with him?

"Mio."

"Ah, you're still here?" He rubbed Kiki's head affectionately. "Take care of that mistress of yours, okay? She's liable to get herself killed running haphazardly after Methuselah like she does."

Kiki purred, leaning into his hand. The doctor gave him a final rub and straightened up. "Take care of yourself Kiki."

The small creature sat back and yawned.

"So, that's what you think?" The doctor laughed. "Well, guess no one wants to take my advice."

He turned headed for the corridor that led out of the complex.

He didn't get very far before Machika ran into him. He gripped her shoulders to steady her. "Hey, whoa there Shorty. What's the rush?" He glanced around. "Since Calvaria's here I'm leaving. You probably should go too, it's gonna get crowded soon."

"Doctor!" Both Machika's fists slammed into his chest, drawing his attention back down to her face. Tears welled in her blue eyes. "You have to help Rain, turn him back into a human, please. You have to remove his cross. Please." She hid her face and her tears.

The doctor held her gently for a moment before he spoke. "A long time ago he let me examine him. That cross is intertwined with his heart. I don't know exactly how it works, but somehow it keeps the power he has from going out of control, lets him keep his human shape. You've seen the creatures around here. Once someone gets infected with angel blood the cells in their body can't adapt to the sudden change and they die. If I removed Methuselah's cross he would become like any other angel. He would die."

Machika glanced up, horror evident in her face.

"Yuca's managed everything perfectly." The doctor continued. "He chose the perfect person. Methuselah is the gentlest person I've ever met. He feels pain deeper than anyone else around him. Because Methuselah's been waiting for Yuca for six hundred years already means that Yuca's already won." He stepped around Machika and continued down the corridor. There was nothing else he could say. It was up to her to make up her mind now. He couldn't force her to leave. She wouldn't. He'd already seen it in her eyes. Eury was right, she was in love with Methuselah.

_Ah Shorty, of all the people in the world you fall in love with the one person you can't have._ He shook his head sadly and lit up a cigarette. _It's really too bad._

_Entirely._

00000

_Methuselah is the gentlest person I've ever met…. Because he's been waiting six hundred years already means that Yuca's won._

The doctor's words spun around and around in Machika's head as she slowly made her way back toward the camp. The doctor was making the smart choice and leaving. She was going to stay. She couldn't abide the idea of leaving Rain by himself. _Grandfather, I found someone who keeps me from falling alone in the darkness, just like you did._

Rain's hands gentle on hers. The memory brought up a blush and a smile.

_You're in love with him aren't you?_

Remembering Eury's comment made her pause and hide her cheeks. _It's true though, isn't it?_ A quiet voice deep inside her whispered.

_It's not the same._

Machika straightened up, slapping her cheeks lightly. She needed to find Rain.

He was sitting on a box, hands folded loosely between his knees. His hair fell forward hiding his face.

Machika watched him for a while. He didn't move. She moved around the room, gathering her belongings before approaching him again. He didn't acknowledged her presence until she slammed her scythe into the ground in front of him. The noise startled him and he looked up at her in surprise. Machika met his look evenly and marched over, plopping down on the ground next to him. "I'm staying here with you while you wait for Yuca."

"Your butt will get cold."

"Shut up." Machika could feel her cheeks heating. Ever since she'd become mixed up with Rain her proclivity to blush had increased; be it from anger or embarrassment.

Silence stretched between them. It didn't last long. She had questions that begged to be asked and she couldn't keep herself from asking them. "Is he really coming?" She couldn't believe it would be that easy.

"You told me to shut up."

She didn't believe he was anywhere near as meek as he sounded. "Oh, come on." Her frustration bled out through her words.

"He's coming." Rain became serious. It didn't last long as he continued. "Although it might be a couple decades before he gets here. He is just a baby right now and who knows where he might be in the world.""What?!" Machika stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?" Of course he had to be right. He was waiting for Yuca to be born. Still in her minds eye Yuca was always a grown man with a white beard and hair, a mad scientist. Imagining him as a baby took too much energy.

"Will you still wait?"

Rain's question drew her from her musings and she blinked at him. He was smiling gently and that smile made her stop breathing for just a moment.

"Sitting on that floor your butt will get frostbitten."

She didn't respond to his lightly offered jab. Instead she stood up, moving until she could sit down carefully in front of him. She knew her cheeks were flaming red as she stared down at her gloved hands folded primly in her lap. "I'll wait."

She sat perfectly still, feeling as Rain bent forward. She watched his hands cover her smaller ones. He cupped them carefully, gently. His forehead pressed against the back of her head and she could feel his breath stirring her hair.

"Why do you care for me so much?"

He didn't give her time to answer the question. His hands gripped hers tighter as he continued speaking. "Time goes by swiftly for me. Before I know it you'll be gone and I'll be forced to go on living while the memory of your loss just becomes more painful."

"_Don't leave me alone."_

"No." She heard what he didn't say. Machika turned to face him, unable to bear the pain in his voice. "No, I won't leave you alone." It was her pain too, the fear of being alone in the world. "I'll become immortal too, I'll stay with you." _Forever. _Her promise was unspoken.

"You can't." Rain's denial broke her heart.

Machika reached for his coat, pulling it away to expose his neck. _"Flesh and blood of an infected angel…"_ Lunging forward she bit his neck, drawing blood and tumbling them both backwards off the box.

"Ow." Rain protested as he slammed into the pillar behind them. "Machika stop, you can't become an immortal." He gripped her shoulders pulling her away. "Machika!"

Machika was on the brink of tears, her breath hitched in her chest as she fought the rising lump in her throat. She closed her eyes, feeling the first tears slip past her lashes as the next words escaped. "Rain, I love you." She opened her eyes and saw the surprise on his face. She couldn't help it. She started to cry.

Rain kissed her.

The suddenness of the act stopped her tears. All the universe narrowed to include only the two of them. It was magical. _So this is what it's like…_ Machika's brain managed that one observation before briefly ceasing to function.

Rain pulled back slowly, not looking at her. "It's all your fault. If it wasn't for you I could've done it, killed him and my heart forever for all eternity." He straightened and the despair in his voice knifed through her. He pulled her to him, burying his face in her shoulder. "Even so I wanted to be with you. I _want_ to be with you!"

"Rain." She soothed him with her voice and her hands, cupping his face with her gloved fingers, wiping his tears away with her thumbs. "I'll be with you, you won't be alone. I'm your grim reaper." She gave a shaky smile, thumbs still caressing his face. "I will save you. You don't have to be alone anymore. We can be together."

He reached up for her hand. Their fingers intertwined, a tentative joining. She thought he was going to kiss her again.

The door blew inward with a grinding crash.

00000

It was the sound of an explosion that stopped him. The doctor turned and looked back. Smoke or dust seemed to be rising from the remains of the laboratory. "Ah man." He scratched his head. "Guess I should go back and see what exactly Calvaria left behind." He started to trek back. He wasn't even close when he saw several helicopters glinting in the late afternoon light speeding across the sky. "Well, guess there won't be anyone to greet me when I get back. That's nice to know."

The entire facility was nothing more than a heap of rubble. The doctor sighed as he surveyed it. "Trust Calvaria to be thorough. Well, guess I came back here for nothing."

"Mii."

He paused.

"Mii."

"Kiki?" He glanced around, not spying the small animal at first. But then he located him, sitting on top of a pile of rubble and scrabbling at it frantically.

"Hey, what's the matter little guy?" The doctor made his way over to where the animal was. The sight of a hand clenched tightly around a familiar looking scythe spurred him to sudden action. He began clearing away rubble as quickly as he could safely manage. "Hey Shorty? Can you hear me? You all right?"

She was unconscious, bruised, bleeding and filthy from being covered in debris. She had no broken bones. "I tell you Shorty, you are one lucky girl." He began rigging up something to drag her on. "Thankfully you aren't as heavy as Methuselah. Speaking of the devil, where is he?"

Machika didn't respond, still unconscious. Kiki curled up carefully by her head and watched the doctor work. He finished and moved Machika onto the travois, covering her warmly before heading back to search through the rubble one last time. He couldn't locate Methuselah. It was getting colder when he finally gave up.

"Well, guess the guy can fend for himself. He has been around for a long time, don't you think Shorty? Anyway, I gotta get you somewhere warm."

Halfway to the border they were overtaken by a wagon. "Oi, need a lift?" The driver asked.

"Thanks, that would be helpful." The doctor gave a tired grin.

"Hey, is the little missy alright?"

"I'm trying to get her to the border to a flophouse." The doctor lifted Machika into the wagon with the help of the driver. Kiki followed his mistress closely. "She'll be fine, she just needs to stay warm and rest up a bit."

"If you say so." The driver sounded doubtful. He scratched his head. "I can get you there no problem. It's only a little bit out of my way." He eyed Kiki. "Funny little creature you got there."

"Yes, Kiki is one of a kind." The doctor agreed. "Thanks for the lift."

"Sure." They reached the inn in a short period of time. The driver waved off the doctor's attempt to pay him. "Just make sure that little girl gets better quick. Sure'd be a shame if something more happened to her."

"Of course." The doctor gave a half wave before turning toward the unconscious girl and carrying her into the flophouse. "Let's see about getting you warm."

00000

"Hey, Shorty?"

Someone was calling her. Machika drifted upwards toward consciousness. She opened her eyes, blinked once and focused on the face above her.

"Hey, you're awake. I was getting a little worried about." The doctor straddled a chair, smoking as he watched Machika. "You're lucky I came back to check things out, otherwise you would've been buried alive."

"Oh." Machika curled the fingers of her right hand slowly. "Where am I?"

"At a flophouse on the border." The doctor's voice was serious as he continued. "What about Methuselah?"

Machika stared up at the ceiling as her memory of what happened flooded back to her. Jumping into Rain's arms, the look in Rain's eyes as he reached for her. That child standing, just watching with cold, dead eyes. The angel holding Rain's heart in it's hand and then….

"His heart," Tears slid down her cheeks. "I saw his heart crushed." There'd been so much blood everywhere.

"_Find the doctor, I'll meet you at the border, I promise."_

Machika bolted out of the bed, ignoring as her battered body protested. She only paused long enough to shove her feet into her shoes before rushing outside. A wide expanse of whiteness met her gaze. Snow stretched in every direction.

"Shorty, wait, it's too cold out here." The doctor huffed up behind and draped a coat over her shoulders. "What in the world are you doing?"

"He told me to wait for him at the border."

There was a sigh before the doctor continued quietly. "I'm sorry Shorty, but if what you told me really happened then I don't care how immortal Methuselah is, he's…"

"NO." Machika cut off his sentence harshly. "He promised. He _promised._"

"Shorty…" The doctor slid an arm around her shoulders. "Come on back inside."

She let him lead her back into the building and tuck her back into the bed. Rain's face as he mouthed that last request before everything came crashing down played over and over in her mind's eye.

"_Machika, live."_

Machika buried her face in her pillow. _Rain, you idiot, you promised we'd go together. Stupid head, moron._ _Why'd you leave me? Why?_

_Rain…_


End file.
